Home Alone
by Wolf of the Light
Summary: Alone in the house, Dawn thinks that it's Paul coming home, but it's really an intruder who has plans for Dawn.  Um, rating T for almost-rape. Ikarishipping.


**A/N**: Man, it's been a while. It's been months since I've uploaded any kind of story lol Now, this is a bit different from what I usually do, so don't flame me please x

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Dawn rolled over at the sound of a door closing. Blinking herself awake, she sat up, rubbing away the sleep that dragged at her eyes. "Paul?" she called softly. "Paul, is that you? I didn't think you'd be home so early."

Creaking sounded as someone climbed up the stairs. Dawn became annoyed that he wasn't answering. She pulled the sheets off and slid her feet to the cold carpeted floor. Sweeping her robe around her, she padded to the bedroom door and started opening it. But it was pushed open, knocking her back toward the bed.

"What the …?" But she couldn't finish, something was covering her mouth. She clawed at who … or whatever it was that held her down. She could feel something running up her leg, it felt like a hand. Pushing aside her robe, under her nightshirt. Whimpering, tears ran down Dawn's face as she tried to kick at whoever this was, but it was useless. But then, she finally managed to find her voice as she lifted her knee and rammed it into the person's stomach. There was a grunt of pain, then she was free.

Escaping through the door, she ran down the stairs, tripping two at a time. She raced into the kitchen, almost falling beneath the table as she scrambled to hide. Footsteps could be heard as her assailant came slowly down the stairs. The creaks made loud by their heavy footsteps made Dawn tremble even more as she tried to keep from crying any more. She could hear them murmuring something. It sounded like a sort of song. But when Dawn heard the tune, her eyes widened in fear.

"Da du du da du du da du da du da du du …"

It was the Halloween theme. She knew what that meant.

She put her face in her hands, on the edge of insanity. If she had to keep hearing those words, that song, she would crack under the pressure she could feel forming in her chest. But she was saved when she heard the front door open, the sound of Paul's voice as he called out to Dawn. Then Dawn realized that he didn't know somebody was in the house. Somebody that had tried to … to …

She started to call out to him, but whoever the intruder was slipped into the kitchen. Holding her hands over her mouth so tightly that she could feel her nails digging into her cheeks, she tried to keep silent. Footsteps were heard, soft footsteps walking across the kitchen tiling, coming closer, closer to where she was hiding. Scooting as close as she could to the wall without making a sound, she curled in on herself, trying to become as small as she could, trying not to be seen. But they stopped when whoever it was had reached the refrigerator.

Keeping her hands over her mouth, Dawn watched the feet of the person. She could see up to their waist, and strapped to their belt … She gasped silently when she saw the small sheath of a dagger. Realizing what had almost happened, Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, silent tears rolling down her cheeks in silent anguish. _It almost happened_, she thought miserably. _It almost … almost …_

But her self pity was interrupted when Paul's footsteps headed toward the kitchen. So close to where the trespasser was standing. He could get hurt, she realized. I couldn't live if that happened.

When the lights flicked on, she dove out from the table with determination. Enough to where she would die for Paul, for the one she loved. She tackled the person - a man - who had pulled the small knife from the sheath, sending them to the hard tiled floor. He cried out in surprise, swiping the knife in her direction, but missing. "Paul!" she cried. "Paul, get away!"

He had moved to where he was standing over them, grabbing the man's arm that held the knife. The man slashed at Paul's face, getting him across the cheek. But it was only slightly, a thin trail of blood rolled down his cheek, like a scarlet tear. He managed to finally hold the man down, enough to where Dawn was able to remove the knife from his hand, slide it into the living room, far enough away from them.

"Dawn, go call the police." Paul was scarily calm for a situation like this.

"But …" Dawn started, but she ran for the phone when he yelled, "Go!"

Her fingers trembling, she dialed 911. "H-hello? Yes, s-someone is in our house. They tried to … to …" Tears formed in her eyes again. She looked over on the floor to see Paul kneeing the man in the back with his arms held behind him, him face in the floor. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "He tried to rape me, possibly even kill me afterward." This made Pauls' gaze flick to her, seeming to become even more outraged, if that was even possible at this point.

This went on for a few minutes, the operator asking their address, saying that the authorities were on their way, would be there in minutes. Soon red and blue lights were shining outside the front windows. Dawn went to open the door when they knocked, leading them back to the kitchen where Paul jerked the man to a standing position. The police took over, handcuffing the man and pulling him out the door. But before they disappeared outside, the man turned and looked at Dawn. He smiled at her, a … strange smiled. Almost crazy. Dawn buried her face in Paul's chest.

When the door shut and they were finally gone, Dawn collapsed against Paul. She was so exhausted. Paul leaned down and slipped an arm under Dawn's knees, pulling her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Tears streamed down her face as he walked back upstairs, and she wouldn't let go when he tried to lay her down in bed. So he just sat on the bed, her on his lap as he pulled the covers over her. He tried to soothe her to sleep, and finally, when the sun started to shine gray light into the windows did she finally fall asleep. It had taken hours of Paul trying to lull her into a sense of security, enough to make her sleep, and many kisses - to her forehead, cheeks, her lips. Anything to make her stop crying.

She wouldn't release her grip around his neck, so he had sat there for hours, falling in and out of sleep, until she finally opened her eyes. Fully rested yet tired, she looked up at him. Her eyes filled with fresh tears as she ran her fingertips over the cut across his cheek, dried blood still there, a perfect line down his handsome face. She buried her face in his chest, both in misery and joy. Misery for the horror that almost happened the night before; joy for both of them making it through without much injury.

Paul hugged her tightly, his arms stiff from holding her the entire night in his fitful sleep. He was glad she was all right, he didn't care that he'd gotten hurt. All he wanted was her safety.

"Paul … Paul, I'm sorry. I thought - I thought that it was you coming home, b-but he didn't answer when I called your name. I was - I was so scared," she wailed, her tears flowing freely as she gripped the collar of his shirt. He winced at her tears. He didn't like it when she cried. But he managed, burying his face in her hair.

"It's okay, Dawn. It's okay," he murmured into her hair. "It's okay."

And she believed him, finally, after all the tears and her fear. So much that she dried up her tears, rubbing them away from her eyes, and looked determinedly up into Paul's face, saying, "I believe you. And, I love you." She reached up and held his face in her hands, wincing along with him, when her thumb ran over his wound.

He placed his hand over hers, smiling down at her. "I love you too."

Dawn snuggled up against him again, just wanting to stay that was as long as possible. Just to get away from reality. Away from it all.

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**A/N**: I really had no idea what I was doing when I was writing this lol If I'd thought about it, I could have put this up during October, but I didn't start writing it till last night lol Well, anyway, with the 911 and police part, I was just going by what I'd seen on Law&Order, CSI, Criminal Minds, etc. I watch too much TV xD Back to what I was saying. I'm thinking about even writing another one, where the dude who almost, ahem, raped Dawn comes back. Buuuut, you'd have to read it to find out if anything happens ^^ _Adieu_


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